Re: This Is Us

Originally Posted by AlwaysVeg

I remember one episode when the kids were going upstairs to bed, and the dog was put in his bed downstairs. I noted that because I figured Kate would have had him go upstairs with her, but she didn't. As a dog lover who has had as many as four dogs (and a couple of cats) in bed with me, I notice these things!

Okay thanks. I did not remember this. Our dog sleeps in our room, but not in our bed. She is 90+ lbs and with my 6'2" husband, and me and only a queen sized bed, there would be no room. She does have her own bed in our room as well as a bed in the living room where she naps if so inclined.

Re: This Is Us

Originally Posted by Eastcoastmom

Okay thanks. I did not remember this. Our dog sleeps in our room, but not in our bed. She is 90+ lbs and with my 6'2" husband, and me and only a queen sized bed, there would be no room. She does have her own bed in our room as well as a bed in the living room where she naps if so inclined.

I think it was the crockpot episode because I remember thinking uh-oh, what's going to happen to the dog being downstairs while the people are all upstairs. I was already worried about the dog! That's just me, lol.

Re: This Is Us

Originally Posted by AlwaysVeg

I think it was the crockpot episode because I remember thinking uh-oh, what's going to happen to the dog being downstairs while the people are all upstairs. I was already worried about the dog! That's just me, lol.

Re: This Is Us

Originally Posted by AlwaysVeg

I think it was the crockpot episode because I remember thinking uh-oh, what's going to happen to the dog being downstairs while the people are all upstairs. I was already worried about the dog! That's just me, lol.

Same here. When watching a movie that has a dog or animal, and the suspense is high, I'll say "No, anybody but the dog!!! (or horse or cat) anyone but the dog!"

Well, I won't back down/No I won't back down/You can stand me up at the gates of hell/But I won't back down
No I'll stand my ground//And I'll keep this world from draggin' me down/Gonna stand my ground/Well I know what's right/I got just one life/In a world that keeps on pushin' me around/But I'll stand my ground/And I won't back down-Tom Petty

Re: This Is Us

Originally Posted by tinderbox

If you can rewatch the episode.... He looked simply AWFUL.

Also, my apologies to anybody who owns a pet. I didn't mean to be cruel. But, I understand Kate's guilt. She asked her dad to go back for the dog. I don't think he would have gone back into the house only for the memorabilia and may not have gone back in for the dog had she not mentioned him. Heck, the backdraft happened seconds after he went back in.

Oh gosh, you didn't offend me at all, tinderbox! I just look at these conversations as sharing perspectives.

Well, I won't back down/No I won't back down/You can stand me up at the gates of hell/But I won't back down
No I'll stand my ground//And I'll keep this world from draggin' me down/Gonna stand my ground/Well I know what's right/I got just one life/In a world that keeps on pushin' me around/But I'll stand my ground/And I won't back down-Tom Petty

Re: This Is Us

Originally Posted by AlwaysVeg

I hold firm to my opinion that rescuing the dog was NOT what took Jack so long. He did not have to go upstairs for the dog, as a previous episode showed that the dog slept in a bed downstairs. Plus the dog was barking, so Jack would know exactly where he was. It was getting all that other stuff ... which, after all, are inanimate things that people can do without ... that took so much time. He might have known where the photo albums were, but then he had to find what Kate did with that video he made of her. All that required him to go upstairs and then back downstairs. I would never criticize anyone for rescuing their pets. That's like rescuing your children to me.

All the other stuff was in the same place, under the tv by the dog bed. They showed Jack putting away the video before he went upstairs so he didn't have to go back upstairs to get it. I think it took so long because he had to get downstairs past the fire to get out. (That and it was in the script )

Re: This Is Us

I was a mess, and I loved the episode. Mostly because I love Jack, and I really felt for the kids and Rebecca's loss. When that dog barked, I cried so hard - of course I'd go back in, but I didn't want them to lose Jack!! Heart-wrenching!

The fire looked horrible, and it did throw me off because the flames were so big all over that I don't think anyone could walk through that house for so long, much less go up and down the stairs. It would have probably been more realistic to see more smoke and darkness, but of course, less dramatic for a tv show. But watching Jack come out with the dog and the stuff, was worth it! So emotional.

Mandy Moore's acting was superb, IMO. Everyone in the entire episode really was top-notch; they really sold it. Those teen actors are wonderful!

I felt a little manipulated by the switcheroo at the end with Tess, but after everything else that had gone on in the episode, it was a small disappointment. I had to laugh at the Fall trees and daylight during the Super Bowl too; no snow there in February? I also laughed at "third person Randall" - his wife is awesome, isn't she?

I'm excited that we get another episode right away tomorrow night. The funeral will be so sad too, so I'll have to prepare myself.

Re: This Is Us

As usual, the writing for this show was stellar for this episode….except for the beginning fire scene. What a joke. Yup, Debbie Downer here. If I didn’t have a serious belief in this show moving forward, and love it so much, I would be tempted to say “Jumped the Shark”. But I know that is not possible with this series being in only its second season. It’s too good and it still has too far to go. But seriously, WTF were the writers thinking? Did they not research fire and its properties prior to writing this scene? I hope they read these forums because a lot of us out here are not stupid. There is NO WAY (I repeat, NO WAY!!!!!!!) Jack would have survived EVEN GETTING TO RANDALL’S ROOM given the intensity of that fire that was conveyed to the viewer, let alone…..back to the Master Bedroom with Randall….and then to Kate’s room….and then escaping there….with Kate…..with a mattress as a shield, catching fire….back to the Master Bedroom….and then taking the time to tie sheets together……(read: even if you are still alive at this point, Jack, ya’ll just jump, okay? It’s only one floor. Who cares about a broken leg when your lives are at stake and time is UNBELIEVABLY CRUCIAL AT THIS POINT)…and then lowering everyone down one by one. And then back in the house to save the dog and collect momentos? Seriously? PLEASE!!!! I get that they wanted to write him up as this unbelievable super hero god like dad that would not hesitate to save his family at any risk to himself, but seriously, this was a joke. They took it too far. I believe they could have accomplished the same effect with far more intelligent and informed writing. How about, Jack’s goes out of the bedroom for a pee and on his way to the bathroom he smells smoke (“Jack sniffs the air”, as a script might say) and then goes DOWNSTAIRS TO INVESTIGATE AND THEN AND THERE DISCOVERS THE FIRE!! Would that have maybe worked, writers? A fire that hasn’t progressed upstairs yet, thus providing Jack with ample time to go back upstairs and save everyone as best as a super hero dad can? As I said, there is no way Jack would have survived even trying to get to Randall’s room. The heat alone would have prevented him from even getting to him. He would have had to turn back.
I quantify my opinion on this as someone who has worked on seagoing ships for 34 years. Therefore, I have had firefighting training and further therefore, I think I know a bit about it. As well, my mother passed away from smoke inhalation trying to escape from her burning apartment building. Ok, she was 80 years old and had severe coronary atherosclerosis which contributed to her passing, but still, based on the location of her body found, compared to where the fire actually was, I think I have an informed mind on this topic because of that.
As for the dog, and going back in to get it…I understand this aspect is crucial to Kate’s story, but honestly, I don’t even want to address that. Probably because I think Jack should not have even been in a position to address that himself, given the scenario the writers gave us with the intensity of that fire. He should have died on his way to Randall’s room.

On more positive notes, although I would love to see Randall with a boy to raise, I’m liking Deja back and I’m looking forward to seeing where that goes.

And,….I’m also curious to see how (and/or why) Rebecca and Miguel get together.

Kevin and Kate, I’m not vested in either of them, but still interested in character development with both. We need happy there.

Re: This Is Us

I really liked this episode, but I have to admit that I didn't like it for the big emotional moments I think I was supposed to like. I liked it for the little moments that were true to life where things had a little humor and didn't go as expected. I loved the mom talking about the reminders and laughter she looks for from Jack each year on Super Bowl Sunday. I loved Toby mouthing "me?" when Kate was talking about the wonderful man with a big heart who came into her life. I loved Kevin admitting that he was not certain he'd gone to the right tree. And I loved that when the mom was told that Jack was dead, she did not automatically give the big emotional response we were expecting and bracing for. I love the way they portrayed the disbelief, and how difficult it was for her to come out of the moment she thought she was having to process what was actually happening.
The little moments of truth in this show are so great that I wish they'd lean heavier on those and not go for so many huge tissue-grabbing speech moments.